'Calangute beach belt can't take additional tourism activity'

In the backdrop of the recent decision to stop helicopter tourism, Goa's BJP legislator Michael Lobo representing the Calangute coastal belt today said they cannot take any more tourism activity in their area as it is already congested.
Lobo, a prominent BJP leader, accused the government of imposing high-end tourism projects ignoring the fact that the basic infrastructure is not in place in the state.
"It is one or two people from the government who are trying to impose the high-end tourism projects in the state. We don't want helicopter tourism, sea planes, amphibious vehicles or ropeway," Lobo told PTI in an interview.

The legislator said people from Calangute-Candolim-Baga belt do not want any more tourism activity in the belt as it is already full of pubs, discos, hotels and shops.
"The belt is totally congested. The roads are congested with tourist taxis, private cars, bikes and others. We have all the activities happening here why introduce one more activity, which will burden the existing infrastructure," he said.
Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar had recently halted the helicopter tourism introduced by Goa Tourism Development Corporation and Pawan Hans after protests from locals led by Lobo.

Lobo said Goa already has water sports providing joy rides, wind surfing and other adventure activities for the visitors.

"We don't require Helicopter tourism in this belt as we have no place to accommodate it," he stated.
Lobo said the state government needs to explore the backwaters (inland waters) to attract more tourists.
"The backwaters need to be explored, you need to take tourists there. This is a natural tourist destination and we need to put up infrastructure first," he said.